Written by Melissa Benton Corleto
Last night six members of the Social Justice Leadership Team (including Rabbi Stern) traveled to Boyle Heights to visit the Dolores Mission and meet with some of its members. Our journey was a mere 14 miles, and only took us twenty minutes (it’s true, everywhere in L.A. takes twenty minutes), but Boyle Heights probably seems very far for most of us.
When we arrived, we were taken on a tour of the church and school. We visited chapels, classrooms, a student-created vegetable garden, administrative offices, and living quarters for the fifty men who are temporary residents of the Mission. Each of the facilities is immaculately maintained, and immediately makes visitors feel welcome.
The Dolores Mission and school are surrounded by “projects”; however these are not the graffiti-covered, crumbling high-rises that you might be picturing. They are known as “casitas”, small townhouses whose manicured gardens and fresh paint reflect a strong pride of ownership.
At 7:30 our bilingual, bi-denominational meeting began. We began with prayers and ice-breaker activities, which allowed us to get to know each other. Everyone was warm and friendly, and it hardly felt like a first encounter.
Then it was down to business. We discussed our definitions of community, why we are proud of our communities, and the issues facing our communities. Through our discussion, it became evident that there are several connections between the Stephen S. Wise and Boyle Heights The discussion was honest, and people shared true concerns and hopes about their churches, synagogues, families, neighborhoods, and city. Each group is concerned about jobs, health care, and education. It turns out both groups also really like tamales. communities.
Our next step is to identify how our interdependent relationship will allow us to create positive change in our communities.
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The Social Justice Vision at Stephen S. Wise Temple
Our congregation will see Social Justice as a calling that derives from our sense of God and the imperative of Jewish Tradition. The Stephen S. Wise Temple community will use our influence, power and compassion to be a force for positive, meaningful and effective change in the quality of life on behalf of all the citizens of Los Angeles and the world.
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The Action Items for Social Justice
Social Justice involves focused action for meaningful societal change. The Leadership team in cooperation with LA Voice has identified three possible action items for meaningful action:
Stephen S. Wise community is a partner with others who are active in reform of our educational system? Can we not only improve our neighborhood schools but also those in other neighborhoods? Our current partners: Educate Our State, Lanai Elementary, Superintendent's Interfaith Roundtable, LA Voice (and PICO National)
The Los Angeles City Council Responsible Banking Ordinance. Clergy and Social Justice activists join together to demand that when our money (LA City money) is deposited in banks those banks also invest in the well-being of our city: branches in poorer neighborhoods, increased small business lending and reducing foreclosures of homes. See the body of the blog for more information.
Interested in any of these issues? E-mail Jennifer Smith.
Site for Directed Giving to Local Schools: Donorschoose.org. Not the optimal way to fund public schools but an immediate partial remedy to a difficult problem.
Stephen S. Wise community is a partner with others who are active in reform of our educational system? Can we not only improve our neighborhood schools but also those in other neighborhoods? Our current partners: Educate Our State, Lanai Elementary, Superintendent's Interfaith Roundtable, LA Voice (and PICO National)
The Los Angeles City Council Responsible Banking Ordinance. Clergy and Social Justice activists join together to demand that when our money (LA City money) is deposited in banks those banks also invest in the well-being of our city: branches in poorer neighborhoods, increased small business lending and reducing foreclosures of homes. See the body of the blog for more information.
Interested in any of these issues? E-mail Jennifer Smith.
Site for Directed Giving to Local Schools: Donorschoose.org. Not the optimal way to fund public schools but an immediate partial remedy to a difficult problem.
Links to Social Justice Resources
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Contact Us
If you're interested in learning more about our Social Justice efforts, contact Jennifer Smith at JSmith@WiseLA.org or 310.889.2265.
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